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Hospital improvements moving forward.
We have adopted two key features in our hospital-replacement plan that will help us achieve a 21st century facility: acuity-adaptable patient rooms that can be used for one type of service now and be changed to another type of service in the future, and interventional suites instead of traditional operating rooms. These suites, which join imaging services with an invasive technique such as cardiac-stent placement, will help us grow and change as these procedures evolve over time.
During the spring and early summer we worked with medical planners to determine which services need to be close to one another in the new tower to ensure safe, high-quality patient care. We also finalized our projections of future needs, and explored how new healthcare facilities are being constructed today. And, during the summer, we held focus groups with recent patients and family members to determine their wants and needs for the new facility.
We are now in the “schematic design” phase, during which we’ll figure out what the inside and outside of the buildings will look like. We’re meeting with senior centers and neighborhood associations for their input. And later this fall we’ll be holding some community meetings to get your input.
Soon, you will begin to see demolition of some of the old structures on the east side of the Winter Street campus, including the old Bush School, to make way for construction staging and parking, and the construction of the new central energy plant.
To follow the progress of our “Building for the Future” plan, visit the “About us” section of our Web site. Or call Community Relations at 503-561-5269 or email cr@salemhospital.org.
Everyone deserves smoke-free air.
That’s why all locations of Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital will go completely smoke-free on Nov. 17.
We are making this change to promote the health of everyone in our community. According to the state Department of Human Services, secondhand smoke causes cancer and heart disease and is responsible for approximately 800 deaths in Oregon each year.
We thank you for your support in making this a successful transition.
(We understand that smoking is both a habit and an addiction. If you need help making this important life change, please see page 8.)
 Good neighbor award.
Salem Hospital received a “Good Neighbor” award from the Red Cross for the use of our facilities and many
community-focused programs, including CPR, first aid, babysitter training, and HIV education.
Mammograms don’t have to hurt.
We now have a softer mammogram available. Call 503-561-5293 to schedule an appointment.
The right drugs.
Salem Hospital’s Omnicell system functions much like an ATM—and isn’t much bigger—only it dispenses meds, not money. The interactive, computer-controlled system, located near nursing stations, reduces the potential for human error, while improving workflow efficiency and medication security.
Electronic medical records coming.
In late 2006, we will go live with our new electronic patient-record system from Epic Systems Corporation. With improved patient care at the heart of our decision, the Epic system will establish a secure and integrated medical record across our continuum of care.
A faster ER.
Ever spent hours in an ER, just waiting? Wonder why you weren’t seen quickly? Teams of Salem Hospital ER pros tackled that question recently. The changes they made, like quick registration, have reduced the amount of time it takes to see a doctor (which used to be two to three hours) down to 36 minutes!
This is especially important as we look at recent increases in ER admissions. Based on current volume, we anticipate that we will see close to 80,000 ER patients this year, up from the 65,000 in 2004. 
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Your hospital. Welcome.